Haytoug Talks

Get to know one of the Diaspora's greatest comedy entertainers, Arman Margarian, better known by his stage name, "Antic". His satirical videos and comedy stand-up have played a part in shaping our modern Armenian culture, reminding us of our rich Armenian sense of humor. Antic’s work brought Armenian comedy through new mediums, developing it for a new generation, as he became one of our community's earliest viral sensations. We had a fun time talking with Arman, as we got to learn all about his career as a comedic artist, and his life outside of comedy.

What is it like to return to your homeland, a century after genocide? For the first part of our Western Armenia series, we speak with Ani Hovannisian about her travels through Western Armenia, and about her most recent project. Ani is a director, producer, and filmmaker, who spent 7 years making the film, “The Hidden Map”. The film documents the journey of Ani, a granddaughter of genocide survivors, alongside Scottish explorer Steven Sim, who travel across Western Armenia discovering the hidden past of the Armenians who use to live there. The film will be shown over a thousand times all across the United States on your local PBS stations and affiliates in the month June 2022. Make sure to check out the links shared on our social media, to learn more about how you can see the film.

Chris J Khachadour, Haytoug Talk’s resident historian, returns to us today to focus on the history of another region of Historical Armenia, Nakhichevan. Like Artsakh, Nakhichevan is a region adjacent to the Republic of Armenia today. It’s that exclave south west of the ROA, that as a result of Azerbaijani control, no longer contains any Armenians, with no remnants of our history in sight, as all our heritage has been completely wiped out. And even though as Armenians, we can’t go to Nakhichevan today, see Armenians there, or our history any longer; this place, like all the other pieces of our homeland which we have lost through genocide, still lives in our hearts and minds. This is "The Story of Nakhichevan".

Nare Kupelian, is a practicing attorney in Southern California, who comes from a family that were often labeled as “Aghpar” while they lived in Soviet Armenia. “Aghpar”, which is a play on the Western Armenian pronunciation for brother, “Yeghpayr”, was used as a type of sarcastic slur for many Western Armenians who repatriated to Eastern Armenia in the mid 20th century. Nare’s family, along with thousands of other Armenians who had returned to Soviet Armenia at the invitation of Stalin, were optimistic about starting their new life in the homeland after decades of living in exile. Unfortunately, the expectations did not match the reality, scars of which can be seen until this day, in the Republic of Armenia, and perhaps among our friends in our communities in the diaspora, who may have a story to tell similar to the one you will hear today.

In 2005, Ardashes Kassakhian ran for the open Glendale City Clerk seat with the explicit goal of making elections in Glendale more transparent, accessible and secure. He was the youngest person ever elected to a Glendale municipal post in the city’s history. In 2020 Kassakhian ran for Council becoming the first City Clerk to be elected to Glendale’s City Council. And as of April 2022, it became his turn to take the reins, as the Mayor for the City of Glendale. We spoke with Mr. Kassakhian just before he was appointed Mayor to discuss the challenges of the Armenian community and the importance of activism. From ANCA-WR Director, to Glendale Mayor, Ardashes has been representing and fighting for the Armenian-American community for quite some time, and we were honored to hear his story and to share his experiences and wisdom with all of us.

For many people, food can be that initial exposure to a new culture. As a cultural pillar, cuisine when examined can tell us the story about those who developed it. In other words, the diversity and traditions of Armenian food is another way we can learn about who we are and where we come from. In 2019, Ara Zada along with his team published “Lavash” the cookbook, which set out to share with the world what people in the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh are eating and cooking today. Not just limited to recipes, but a book that included imagery and stories that help complete the essence of Armenian cuisine. We discuss with Ara about his travels, discoveries and impressions of the cuisine he came across, and what “Armenian Food” looks like in the 21st Century.

In this Haytoug Talks pre-season special, our hosts sit down with Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan from Burbank California's St. Leon Armenian Cathedral, to discuss Armenian Christmas. Unlike other Christian denominations, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Nativity of Christ on January 6. Why is it celebrated on this date, and what makes the Armenian Christmas holiday and tradition so unique? We hope you enjoy, and have a very Merry Christmas!

Tune in to hear us reflect on our first official season! Thank you to everyone for listening. 

White phosphorus can melt through steel - you can only imagine the horrifically devastating impacts it has on the environment and its human victims. Though we may not be surprised at the long list of war crimes at the hands of Azerbaijani government, what is surprising is that despite the desolating power of white phosphorus, its use in war is not yet clearly recognized under international law. Here to fill us in on this terrifying fact is Fin DePencier, multimedia journalist who has been in Armenia since the peak of the war.

Syunik is the southernmost province of Armenia, an indispensable piece of historical homeland that serves as a lifeline for Armenia’s survival. Syunik’s stunning landscapes and holy mountains go hand in hand with its rich history of royal dynasties, heroic battles and ancient landmarks. We invited our resident historian and good friend Christopher John Khachadour, who returns to the show to take us through the region’s story over the millennia. With the impending danger that Azerbaijan poses on Syunik since Artsakh’s occupation this past year, it’s time to learn about the story of Syunik.